Remotely operated latch



y 26, 1964 K. A. SMITH ETAL 3,134,154

REMOTELY OPERATED LATCH Filed Oct- 20, 1961 Fig/ Kenneth A. SmithFrances Sfachyra 24 Edmund 6/0 va 44 40 Andrew P- Wydra 34 INVENTORS a 9n 33 BY United States Patent REMOTELY OPERATED LATCH Kenneth A. Smith,227 S. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; and Frances Stachyra, 357 E.Washington St.; Edmund (ii-ova, 341 E. Washington St.; and Andrew P.Wydra,

361 E. Washington St., all of Nanticoke, Pa.

Filed Get. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 146,575

Claims. (Cl. 24-230) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in latch mechanisms, and the principal object of theinvention is to provide a latch mechanism which may be quickly andeasily unlatched by remote control, so that it is not necessary tomanually effect such unlatching at the location of the device.

In particular, the invention concerns itself with a latch mechanismwhich includes a pivotally mounted latch member swingable betweenlatched and unlatched positions, a projectable and retractable keeperwhich, when projected, engages the latch member to retain the same inits latched position, and remotely controlled electromagnetic means forretracting the keeper whereby the latch member may be swung to itsunlatched position. As such, the latch mechanism in accordance with theinvention may be effectively utilized for various uses in numerousdifferent environments. For example, a link of a dog chain may beengaged with the latch member to normally keep a dog tied up but uponactuation of the electro-magnetic means from a remote control point,such as the inside of a house, for example, the latch mechanism may beunlatched to release the chain and dog in the presence of prowlers ongrounds surrounding the house. Similarly, the latch mechanism may beused in conjunction with ropes or chains for tying animals in barns,whereby they may be instantly released in the event of a barn fire.Alternatively, the latch mechanism may be used with ropes or chains fortying up boats at docks, especially boats for rent, whereby an attendantmay release a particular boat for rental purposes without having to walkto the dock. Also, the latch mechanism may be employed for releasingvarious articles suspended in storage by overhead ropes or chains, itbeing understood that the foregoing examples are but a few of numerouspossible uses of the invention.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity ofconstruction, eflicient and dependable operation, and in itsadaptability to economical manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view, taken substantiallyin the plane of the line 33 but showing the latch member in itsunlatched position; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view, taken substantiallyin the plane of the line 44 in FIG- URE 2.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the remotelyoperated latch mechanism in accordance with the invention is designatedgenerally by the numeral and embodies in its construction an elongatedbase plate 12 provided with a set of apertures 14 to receive screws, orthe like, whereby the entire device may be secured to a suitablesupport, either horizontally or vertically, as desired. A unitarybracket 16 is mounted by screws 18 on one end portion of the base plate12, the bracket 16 including a base portion 20 and two pairs ofupstanding ears 22, 24. A pivot pin 26 extends transversely through icethe ears 22 and carries a latch member 28 which is preferably angulatedas shown and has a free end portion 30. As will be apparent, the latchmember 28 is swingable on the pin 26 between an unlatched position shownin FIG URE 3 and a latched position shown by the full lines in FIGURE 2,wherein its free end portion 30 is disposed between the ears 24. Thelatch member is adapted to engage a link of a chain 32 so that the chainis fastened to the latch mechanism when the latch member is in itslatched position, but may be readily released when the latch member isunlatched.

What may be referred to as a kick plate 34 is depressibly mountedadjacent the ears 24, the plate 34 being formed with a pair of slots 36to slidably receive the ears 24 with the plate being disposed betweenthe ears as well as exteriorly on both sides of the ears, as is bestshown in FIGURE 4. The plate 34 is depressibly supported by a pair ofcompression springs 38 on a pair of upstanding pins 40 located at theoutside of the ears 24 on the base plate 12, and when the latch member28 is swung to its latched position, the free end portion 30 of thelatch member engages the kick plate 34 between the cars 24, as will beapparent. The plate 34 is provided with an upstanding flange 42 formedwith a U-shaped notch 44, the fi ige 42 being slidable upwardly anddownwardly in a space 46 existing between the ears 24 and a guide block48 on the base plate 12. The block 48 is provided with a passage 50 inwhich is slidable a projectable and retractable keeper 52. When thiskeeper is in its projected position as shown in FIGURE 2, it extendsbetween the ears 24 and overlies the free end portion 30 of the latchmember 28 whereby to retain the latter in its latched position. However,when the keeper 52 is retracted to the position shown in FIGURE 3, thelatch member 28 is free to swing to its unlatched position, thusreleasing the chain 32. It will be also noted that in order for thekeeper 52 to be projected, the plate 34 must be manually depressedagainst the action of the springs 38 so that the keeper may pass throughthe notch 44 in the flange 42 to engage the latch member portion 30between the ears. Consequently, when the keeper is retracted as will behereinafter described, the springs 38 will cause the kick plate 34 toslide upwardly, thus forcibly ejecting the latch member 28 from itslatched to its unlatched position. In its upwardly slid position theflange 42 of the kick plate 34 will cover the passage 50 in the block48, whereby the keeper 52 will be prevented from being projected untilthe kick plate is again manually depressed to reset the latch, asalready described.

A suitable electro-magnet 54 is mounted on the base plate 12 andincludes a reciprocable armature 56 which is operatively connected tothe keeper 52 by a pin 58, the arrangement being such that when theelectro-magnet is energized, the armature thereof is slid in a directionshown by the arrow 60, which causes the keeper to be retracted. Thearmature 56 carries a cross bar 62 and a coil spring 64 has one endthereof connected to this cross bar as at 66 while its other end isanchored to the frame of the electro-magnet as at 68, the function ofthe spring 64 being to urge the armature 56 in a direction opposite tothat shown by the arrow 60, thus biasing the keeper 52 to its projectedposition.

The electro-magnet 54 is remotely controlled and receives its supply ofcurrent through conductor means 70 from a suitable power supply, aswitch 72 being provided in the conductor means as shown. This svw'tchmay be of a momentary contact, normally open type, so that by simplyholding the switch closed for a brief interval, the electro-magnet 54may be energized to retract the keeper.

Auxiliary means are provided for retracting the keeper manually, forexample, in the event of power failure which would render theelectro-magnet inoperative. Such auxdesired or necessary. Of course, thecable 74 and its guide 78 may be of any suitable length to facilitateremote operation of the latch mechanism.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a remotely operated latch, the combination of a base, bracketmeans provided on said base and including first and second pairs ofcars, a latch member pivoted at one end between the first pair of earsfor swinging toward and away from said base between latched andunlatched positions, said latch member having a free end portionreceived between the second pair of ears when the latch member is in itslatched position, an electromagnet mounted on said base and including areciprocable armature, a projectable and retractable keeper connected tosaid armature and when in its projected position being orientated overand abutting the outer side of said free end portion of said latchmember between the second pair of ears to retain the latch member in thelatched posi tion, remote control means for said electro-magnet wherebythe same may be energized to retract said keeper to permit swinging ofthe latch member to its unlatched position, a kick plate positionedbetween said second pair of cars beneath said free end portion andhaving the free end portion of said latch member resting thereon whenthe latch member is in its latched position, and resilient meansoperatively connected to said kick plate for swinging the latch memberto its unlatched position upon retraction of said keeper.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with resilient means forurging said keeper to its projected position constiting of a cross barsecured to the armature, the ends of said bar projecting laterallybeyond both sides of said armature, and spring means mounted on a firstend 4 of said bar and biasing said bar and armature forward and saidkeeper into its projected position.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 together with manually operablemeans for retracting said keeper consisting of a pull cable, saidcable'having one end secured to the second end of said bar and extendingrearward therefrom.

4. In a remotely operated latch, the combination of an elongated base, afirst pair of spaced ears on said base adjacent the forward end thereof,a second pair of ears spaced rearward of said first pair and inalignment therewith, an elongated latch member, said latch member at oneend thereof being pivotally mounted between said first pair of ears forswinging movement between a latched position with the second end of thelatch being orientated between said second pair of ears and an unlatchedposition with the second end of the latch being orientated outward ofsaid second pair of cars, an electro-magnet mounted on said baserearward of said second pair of ears and including a reciprocablearmature, a projectable and retractable keeper connected to saidarmature and projecting forward thereof, said keeper when in itsprojected position being orientated over and abutting the outer side ofthe second end of the latch when said second end is orientated betweenthe second pair of ears so as to retain the latch member in the latchedposition, means whereby the electromagnet may be energized to retractthe keeper so as to allow swinging of the latch member to its unlatchedposition, a kick plate positioned between said second pair of ears andin abutment with the inner side of the second end of the latch when saidlatch is in its latched position, and means biasing said kick plateoutwardly for swinging the latch outwardly to its unlatched positionupon retraction of the keeper.

5. The device as defined in claim 4 including means limiting the outwardmovement of the kick plate, said kick plate including an outwardlyprojecting flange, said flange being orientated so as to be positionedforward of the retracted keeper pin upon an outward movement of the kickplate thus retaining the keeper pin in its retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS937,800 Hazzard Oct. 26, 1909 1,253,455 Adams Jan. 15, 1918 1,451,324Casamayor Apr. 10, 1923 1,493,479 Deatrick May 13, 1924

1. IN A REMOTELY OPERATED LATCH, THE COMBINATION OF A BASE, BRACKETMEANS PROVIDED ON SAID BASE AND INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OFEARS, A LATCH MEMBER PIVOTED AT ONE END BETWEEN THE FIRST PAIR OF EARSFOR SWINGING TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID BASE BETWEEN LATCHED ANDUNLATCHED POSITIONS, SAID LATCH MEMBER HAVING A FREE END PORTIONRECEIVED BETWEEN THE SECOND PAIR OF EARS WHEN THE LATCH MEMBER IS IN ITSLATCHED POSITION, AN ELECTROMAGNET MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND INCLUDING ARECIPROCABLE ARMATURE, A PROJECTABLE AND RETRACTABLE KEEPER CONNECTED TOSAID ARMATURE AND WHEN IN ITS PROJECTED POSITION BEING ORIENTATED OVERAND ABUTTING THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID FREE END PORTION OF SAID LATCHMEMBER BETWEEN THE SECOND PAIR OF EARS TO RETAIN THE LATCH MEMBER IN THELATCHED POSITION, REMOTE CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID ELECTRO-MAGNET WHEREBYTHE SAME MAY BE ENERGIZED TO RETRACT SAID KEEPER TO PERMIT SWINGING OFTHE LATCH MEMBER TO ITS UNLATCHED POSITION, A KICK PLATE POSITIONEDBETWEEN SAID SECOND PAIR OF EARS BENEATH SAID FREE END PORTION ANDHAVING THE FREE END PORTION OF SAID LATCH MEMBER RESTING THEREON WHENTHE LATCH MEMBER IS IN ITS LATCHED POSITION, AND RESILIENT MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID KICK PLATE FOR SWINGING THE LATCH MEMBERTO ITS UNLATCHED POSITION UPON RETRACTION OF SAID KEEPER.